Situated at one of the deepest sea ports, RBCT is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery. It is able to handle large vessels as well as volumes and has gained a reputation for operating efficiently and reliably to prevent demurrages.

The Terminal currently boasts a quay 2.2 km long with 6 Berths and 4 Shiploaders, with 3 of the  Shiploaders able to load at rate of 10 000 t/hr and the 4th at a rate of 12 000 t/hr.

From the time when the shipment details arrive from coal exporters, the Operations Planning Department steps into action with the planning and scheduling of trains to the Terminal from any one of the more than 49 load out points in KwaZulu-Natal or Mpumalanga.

A cooperative relationship exists between RBCT and Transnet Freight Rail (“TFR”), which owns and operates the railway line linking the coal mines to the Port.

Upon arrival, RBCT utilises 1 of 5 Tandem Tipplers to offload the wagons at a rate of 5 500 t/hr. At this rate, 100 wagons can be offloaded in less than 2 hours.

Approximately 14% of the coal thats arrives at RBCT is bypassed directly onto waiting vessels, with the remainder of the coal being conveyed directly onto stockpiles.

The Stockyard has a capacity of 8.2Mt with 36 grades of coal being stacked onto more than 92 stockpiles.

The stacking and reclaiming of coal at RBCT is a complex process, which requires sophisticated controls.

RBCT’s state-of-the-art, centralised control system is situated in the 42m high control tower, which is manned by highly trained staff, who co-ordinate and control the movement of coal and the stockyard machines.

The control room activates the optimum conveyor belt route from the Tandem Ttippler to the designated stock pile area. The 2.2m wide conveyor belt system covers over 50km and is amongst the fastest in the Southern Hemisphere, moving at a rate of  up to 22km/hr.

Highly sophisticated yard machines stockpile and reclaim the coal at a rate of up to 6 000 t/hr. Coal is reclaimed from the stockpiles into 1 of the 4 silos and then onto the vessel via 1 of the 4 Shiploaders servicing the 6 Berths.

Shiploaders 1, 2 and 3 loads  up to 10 000 t/hr while Shiploader 4 can reach a load rate of 12 000 t/hr. Once loaded the vessel and its cargo is placed in the hands of Transnet National Ports Authority  (“TNPA”) which coordinates the arrival and departure of over 900 vessels per year.